Yes. Both mentor coaching and coaching supervision are integrated into our coach training programs because they develop different aspects of coaching competence. Mentor coaching helps coaches strengthen their application of the ICF Core Competencies. Supervision develops reflective capacity, professional judgment, and greater awareness of the coach as a tool of their work.
Mentor Coaching
For an ICF credential or an ICF-accredited coach training program, mentor coaching is a very specific developmental process required by ICF. It is not simply “getting feedback from an experienced coach.” It is a structured way of helping a coach demonstrate and integrate the ICF Core Competencies at the level required for their credential.
ICF-accredited programs must include mentor coaching because it is an important part of the ICF credentialing process. Mentor coaching involves listening to a live or recorded coaching session and provides structured feedback on how well a coach demonstrates the ICF Core Competencies. It helps coaches identify strengths, improve specific coaching behaviors, and prepare for credential assessments.
A mentor coach might say things like:
- “I noticed you asked a lot of questions here. What was happening for you in that moment?”
- “I noticed you explored the topic, but I didn’t hear you establish what the client wanted to achieve by the end of the conversation. What might you have asked?”
- “What opportunities for awareness might have been available if you stayed longer with their experience?”
- “At 12:40, the client paused before answering. What did you notice?”
- “What question could help them discover something they don’t already know?”
- “How did your coaching presence show up in this conversation?”
A mentor coaching session is usually a combination of:
- self-reflection by the coach
- observation of specific moments from the recording
- feedback linked to ICF competencies
- practice and experimentation
How mentor coaching differs depending on credential level
ACC mentor coaching focus: the coach is developing consistency with the fundamentals and can coach around the client’s topic (“the What”)
- clear agreements
- ethical coaching
- active listening
- client-centered questions
- avoiding advice and directing
- maintaining coaching presence
PCC mentor coaching focus: the coach is developing depth, flexibility and can coach the person (“the Who”)
- following the client’s agenda rather than the coach’s structure
- noticing patterns and beliefs
- creating deeper awareness about the person, not just the topic/situation
- using intuition appropriately
- partnering with the client consistently
MCC mentor coaching focus: the coach is refining mastery
- working with complexity
- responding to subtle shifts
- using presence as the primary instrument
- partnering at the level of identity, values, and meaning
- creating transformational conversations without forcing them
Coaching Supervision
While mentor coaching focuses on the coach’s demonstration of coaching competencies, supervision focuses on the coach, the client relationship, the wider system, ethics, and the coach’s professional practice.
A coaching supervisor is more likely asking: “What is happening here? What are you noticing about yourself, the client, the relationship, and the context?”
The conversation often goes into three domains recognized across European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) and International Coaching Federation (ICF) supervision traditions:
- Normative — ethics, standards, boundaries, professional responsibility
- Formative — learning, skills, development
- Restorative — support, resilience, emotional impact, sustainability
Supervision encourages coaches to reflect on their practice, but it is not designed to replace competency-based feedback. A coach may leave supervision with deeper insight into their assumptions, emotional responses, or ethical decision-making.
Common topics for coaching supervision:
- Exploring the coach’s reactions and emotions, e.g. a coach says, “I had a client who kept coming back to the same issue. I felt frustrated because we were not moving anywhere.”
- Exploring the coach-client relationship, e.g. a coach says, “I feel very connected with this client. We have similar backgrounds, and I really understand their situation.”
- Exploring boundaries and ethics, e.g. a coach says, “My client started sharing details about a serious personal situation. I wasn’t sure whether to continue coaching or suggest therapy.”
- Exploring the coach’s personal triggers, e.g. coach says, “I have a client who avoids making decisions. It reminds me of someone in my family, and I notice I become impatient.”
- Exploring systemic context, e.g. a coach says, “I coach a senior leader who wants to create psychological safety, but their organization rewards aggressive competition.”
- Exploring over-identification with the client, e.g. coach says, “I really want this client to succeed. I think they have so much potential.”
- Exploring the coach’s identity and role, e.g. coach says, “I used to be a senior leader, so clients often ask me what I would do.”
- Exploring difficult feelings after a session, e.g. coach says, “I left this session feeling drained. The client was very negative and critical of everyone around them.”
- Exploring the “use of self” as an instrument, e.g. coach says, “I had a strong intuition that the client was avoiding something, but I didn’t say anything.”
- Exploring the coach’s development edge, e.g. coach says, “I think I am becoming too comfortable with my coaching style.”
Together, mentor coaching and supervision create a more complete learning process than either can provide independently.
How are mentor coaching and supervision integrated into our programs?
At UpThink Coaching, mentor coaching and supervision are integrated into the learning journey. Coaching competence develops through repeated cycles of practice, feedback, reflection, and application. Students coach throughout the program, receive mentor coaching on their coaching sessions, participate in supervision and reflect on real coaching experiences. This progression reflects how coaches actually develop.
Our programs are built on the belief that coaching is both a professional discipline and a relational practice.We believe, coaching quality depends on the coach’s ability to build relationships, recognize emotional and cultural dynamics, remain reflective, and respond thoughtfully to what emerges during a conversation.
Mentor coaching and supervision remain valuable after certification
Many experienced coaches continue participating in both long after earning their credentials. Mentor coaching often supports coaches preparing for a higher ICF credential, while supervision provides an ongoing space to reflect on client work, ethical questions, professional identity, and increasingly complex coaching situations. Many coaches choose to have a supervision session after every 30 hours of coaching practice.Both can also contribute to Continuing Coach Education (CCE) requirements for ICF credential renewal, depending on the activity and current ICF guidelines.
Contact us to explore your coach training journey.